Leadership

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

Agribusiness firms rely on organisational leadership as the basis for meeting the changing challenges of a dynamic workplace. Agribusiness managers will require an understanding of the trends, issues and constraints relevant to the agribusiness environment.

This subject focuses on the leadership role of managers in organisations involved in agribusiness. This includes the traditional role of management, and various leadership and decision-making models. In light of these models, the subject studies issues such as:

• organisational culture and values
• social responsibilities and managerial ethics
• managing change
• creativity and innovation
• entrepreneurial behaviour

Additional material is examined as it becomes current and relevant. For instance, the notion of a character-led organisation that benefits the triple bottom line is an issue covered in this subject. Social, ethical and economic issues associated with leadership are also examined, as are strategic management and change. Students are encouraged to explore their own perceptions and experiences of leadership, and apply these to the real-life work examples examined in this subject.

This subject will cover:

1. Management versus leadership, the study of management and leadership, theories of leadership.
2. Trends, constraints and factors influencing management practice in agribusiness organisations. Organisational values, culture and environment. The global environment.
3. Organisational social responsibility and ethical behaviour.
4. The decision-making process, approaches to decision-making, rational decision-making, dealing with risk and uncertainty, group decision-making.
5. Operational and strategic planning and strategic management.
6. Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs versus traditional managers.
7. Understanding change, managers and change, learning organisations, creativity and innovation.
8. Explaining and predicting behaviour, employee attitudes and perceptions.
9. Informal and formal groups, work group behaviour and teams.
10. Motivation, theories of motivation.
11. Leadership agribusiness case studies.

The objective of this subject is to extend the participant's ability to:

• understand the role of leaders and managers
• assess theories of management and leadership
• identify and interpret the trends, issues and constraints affecting management practices in agribusiness organisations
• appreciate the factors that influence the achievement of ethical behaviour
• carry out the steps in a decision-making process and understanding the nature and limits of rational decision-making
• distinguish levels and types of planning
• understand the importance of strategic planning and strategic management
• appreciate the complexities of organisational change and the manager's role in dealing with change, creativity and innovation
• appreciate the key elements of group behaviour and explain the implications for these for development of workplace teams
• understand theories of motivation and identify the practices that lead to motivated employees
• understand the importance of succession leadership
• analyse current issues in leadership

A 2-hour written examination (30%), individual assignment of 2,500 words (50%), group presentations, 750 word summary and copy of PowerPoint presentation (20%).

Draft, R. and Pirola-Merlo, A. (2009). The Leadership Experience: First Asia Pacific Edition. Cengage Learning: Melbourne. ISBN: 9780170134835

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• A profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
• Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning
• An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from primary and other sources
• Awareness of an ability to utilise appropriate communication technology
• Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
• Ability to integrate information across a relevant discipline to solve problems in applied situations
• Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
• Highly developed oral communication skills to allow informed dialogue and liaison with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community.
• Appreciation of social and cultural diversity from a regional to a global context
• Ability to participate effectively as a member of a team
• Ability to plan work, use time effectively and manage small projects